Vice President - Global Warehouse and Supply Chain
POSITION SUMMARY
Diversified is seeking a VP, Global Supply Chain to lead the global distribution network supporting our AV and Media installation and managed services business, comprising 30 warehouses and 12 forward operating bases across North America, Europe and Australia. This position holds full accountability for the movement of equipment and material from PO tracking, receipt through staging, kitting, deployment to job sites, and reverse logistics on completed projects.
The network currently operates on both Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Great Plains, with the international locations on separate ERP systems, supported by manual processes and spreadsheet-based tracking, without a warehouse management system. Operating practices vary across locations, inventory is reconciled manually, and visibility into material in transit is limited. The international locations operate independently of the North American organization, each with its own systems and processes.
The Vice President is responsible for both daily operations of the warehouses and the outcome of the modernization program that addresses these conditions. A Manager of Supply Chain Process & Systems reports to this position and leads execution of the modernization work, including WMS selection and implementation, supplier EDI integration, and tracking automation. The Vice President serves as executive sponsor of that program and is accountable for its delivery.
Location: Virtual (U.S. Remote)
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Network operations
Own operating performance across all warehouse and forward operating base locations globally.
The international locations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, and Australia are not currently managed as part of a centralized supply chain function. They operate on separate ERP platforms with independent processes, vendor relationships, and inventory practices. This position is responsible for consolidating those locations into a single global function with common standards, reporting, and system direction, while accommodating genuine regional requirements
Manage the operating budget, including labor, freight cost, and third-party services, and deliver performance against plan
Own headcount planning across all locations, including staffing models by site, use of temporary and contract labor to meet workload demand and span of control
Identify and deliver cost reduction across the network, and build the business case for investment where it produces a return
Establish and enforce consistent operating standards across sites for shipment tracking, receiving, put-away, cycle counting, staging, kitting, pick/pack, shipping, returns, and RMA handling
Define the performance measurement framework for the network, including inventory accuracy, on-time staging to project schedule, dock-to-stock cycle time, shrink, cost per shipment, space utilization, and labor productivity. Several of these metrics are not currently tracked and will require definition and baselining
Partner with Technical Operations to align material delivery with installation schedules
Evaluate and recommend network footprint decisions in partnership with regional Tech Ops leadership, including forward operating base openings, consolidations, and closures based on project density and service-level requirements
Inventory control
Establish inventory accuracy as a managed metric, transitioning from periodic physical audits to ongoing cycle counting
Implement controls over customer-owned, project-allocated, and company-owned inventory, including serialized asset tracking
Reduce excess, obsolete, and unallocated inventory and establish the review cadence to maintain reductions
Own reconciliation between physical inventory and financial records in partnership with Finance
Program sponsorship
Hold accountability for the business outcomes of the warehouse modernization initiative, which is executed by the Manager of Warehouse/Inventory Process & Systems in partnership with Business Systems
Approve the operating design underlying the program, recognizing that process standardization decisions are operational rather than technical
Provide the organizational authority required for adoption, including directing site leaders to implement new processes and resolving conflicts between local preference and network standards
Ensure program resourcing is maintained and that reallocation of program capacity to operational demands occurs only through deliberate tradeoff decisions
Co-own the investment request and business case and present to the EVP and Finance
Escalate and resolve supplier and carrier performance issues affecting integration commitments
Commercial and vendor management
Manage carrier, 3PL, and warehouse lease relationships, including rate negotiation, performance scorecards, and service recovery
Own cross-border logistics, customs, duty, and trade compliance for international movement of equipment, in partnership with Finance and Legal
Own supplier relationships at the escalation level, including data quality and ASN compliance commitments
Leadership and organizational development
Lead a globally distributed team of warehouse managers, supervisors, inventory specialists, and logistics coordinators across North America, Europe, and Australia
Define roles, establish performance standards, and develop site leadership capable of operating to company standards without central oversight
Lead the organization through process and system change, including management of resistance to transitioning away from established manual practices
Develop the Manager of Supply Chain Process & Systems toward expanded supply chain leadership responsibility
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
12+ years in supply chain, distribution, or logistics, including 5+ years leading multi-site operations preferably across more than one country or region
Experience managing a multi-site operating budget and headcount plan, including labor models, flexible staffing, and cost performance against plan
Demonstrated record of standardizing operations across locations previously managed independently
Experience as business sponsor or owner of a systems implementation such as WMS, ERP, or TMS. Technical configuration experience is not required; accountability for adoption and business outcomes is
Working knowledge of ERP-driven distribution operations; Microsoft Dynamics 365 familiarity preferred
Experience operating in a multi-ERP environment, including consolidation, harmonization, or migration of disparate systems
Experience building and presenting business cases and operating results to executive leadership
Bachelor’s degree in supply chain, logistics, business, engineering, or equivalent experience
Preferred
Project-based distribution experience in AV, low-voltage, construction, telecommunications, or comparable industries where material flows to job sites on scheduled installation dates
Forward operating base, field depot, or field staging model experience
Experience managing distribution operations in Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, or Australia, including cross-border compliance, customs, and VAT or duty considerations
Serialized asset and customer-owned inventory management
Experience integrating distribution operations following acquisition
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